Basic Thai for Travelers

When you’re traveling to a new country it’s important to try to speak the local language. Even if you stumble over a few words, the locals will see that you’re trying and that effort goes a long way. So take a few minutes, do some research and learn a few words. In this post, we will give you a very basic overview of important Thai phrases for your trip to Thailand.

A general note about the language:

In Thailand, people use “krap” (for a male speaker), and “ka” (for a female speaker), at the end of their sentences. It is polite to use these endings so in our language guide below we’ve included krap/ka onto the end of many phrases. Additionally, Thai people sometimes will use krap or ka to affirm something. For example, if you ask someone “is this the right way to the temple?” That person might simply reply with “krap” or “ka”, to confirm it is the correct direction.

The Basics:

Hello– Sawa dee krap/ka

Goodbye– Lagawn krap/ka (used when you won’t be seeing a person for a while)